November Tasting Event

Over 600 years in the making!

Since 1385, the Antinori family has been committed to the art of winemaking. Over 600 hundred years ago, Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the “Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri”, the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild. For twenty-six generations, the Antinori family has managed the business directly making innovative and sometimes bold decisions while upholding the utmost respect for traditions and the environment.

ANTINORI WINERY, ITALY

Each vintage and each plot of land is a new pursuit for achieving higher quality standards for Antinori. As Marchese Piero loves to say: “Ancient family roots play an important part in our philosophy but they have never hindered our innovative spirit.”

ANCIENT FAMILY ROOTS

The family’s historical heritage lies in their estates in Tuscany and Umbria, however over the years they have invested in many other areas, both in Italy and abroad. They are well-known for producing high quality wine, opening up new opportunities to appreciate and develop unique new terroirs with great winemaking potential.

Research and development has been an ongoing process for the family, such as selecting new clones of local and international varieties, experimenting with new techniques in the vineyards and vineyard altitudes and new approaches to fermentation and temperature control. They also experiment with traditional and innovative winemaking philosophies, using new types of oak for barrels, barrel size and age, and varying length of aging in the bottle before commercial release.

“We have demonstrated, over the years, that in Tuscany and in Umbria there was the possibility of producing excellent wines, widely recognized at an international level, which showed both elegance and finesse while maintaining their original character. One of our main strengths is the fact that we are Tuscan or, if you prefer, our fundamentally Tuscan character”, says Piero Antinori.

October Tasting Event

You’re Invited to Join Us!

Inaugurating the new category of “Extraordinary Winery Awards” by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Viña Errázuriz had the honor of being the first Chilean winery to receive the award “Best Chilean Vineyard 2017“.

Eduardo Chadwick, President of Viña Errázuriz, commented: “Being considered one of the best Chilean wineries by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate is fantastic news. We are very honored with this nomination, and we believe that the nomination reflects the consistency in the high quality of our wines along with the commitment to elaborate the best wines of our terroirs, and to be recognized as a world-class producer. ”

ERRAZURIZ WINERY

Just north of Santiago, Chile’s capital, Errazuriz Winery is located in the Aconcagua Valley. The valley’s beauty and its mild Mediterranean climate more than likely attracted Don Maximiano Errazuriz’s attention, inspiring him to establish his winery in 1870. Easy access to water for irrigation and the volcanic soils, make Aconcagua Valley a viticultural paradise. From the mountains to the coast, it’s the origin of many renowned Chilean wines.

HISTORY

Founder, Don Maximiano Errázuriz Valdivieso

Don Maximiano Errázuriz founded Viña Errázuriz in 1870. With his innovative and pioneering spirit, he planted the first French grape varieties in the Aconcagua Valley. His initiative and creativity were handed down to his descendants, who consolidated the winery and positioned their wines among the world’s most noteworthy. Errazuriz’s family winery has shaped history, currently one of the best examples of successful winemaking in Chile.

CELLAR DOOR 1870 WINERY

For over a century, Viña Errázuriz’s Historic Winery in Panquehue has remained a symbol of the forward thinking vision of its founder, Don Maximiano Errázuriz. Its construction began in 1870, under the guidance of a French winemaker, took over 14 years and incorporated the latest technology at the time.

Built in 1870, Viña Errazuriz’s historic tasting room, located in basement of the winery.

The winery was built as a two-story structure. The excavation and construction of its huge cellar rooms alone took five years. The thick underground walls, built with bricks and mortar, have stood the test of time and have allowed the wine to be kept in large casks made of raulí (a native Chilean tree) at a constant temperature of 53 to 57°F.

Still in use today, the winery houses a historic collection of wines. There are about 400 bottles of each of the vineyard’s iconic wines, which provides an opportunity to experience the vineyard’s evolution through the years.

DON MAXIMIANO ICONIC WINERY

In 2009 the need to project itself into the XXI century and to search for wines of an even higher quality, inspired Viña Errázuriz to start building a new winery devoted exclusively to its high-end wines. The integration of cutting edge technologies has gone hand-in-hand with sustainability and environmental protection, thus paying homage to Don Maximiano’s vision and courageous spirit.

Don Maximiano Winery, Chile

With a capacity to produce over 91,000 gallons, the new Don Maximiano Icon Winery was designed by architect Samuel Claro and built completely with bleached concrete. Its main body is underground and its spiral shape allows for the movement of fruits and liquids by means of gravity and to capture the refreshing breezes from the valley. To maintain adequate levels of temperature and illumination the building harnesses geothermal and solar energy, which are completely environment friendly.

The winery was officially opened in October 2010 with more than 100 guests from around the world, including leaders of the wine industry and press.

NICK GOLDSCHMIDT, Winemaker and owner

Both originally from New Zealand, Nick Goldschmidt and his wife Yolyn are both owners/vintners and have followed their passion for wine to California. Join us as we taste some of their incredible single vineyard wines from some of the best vineyards in Alexander Valley, Napa Valley and Russian River Valley.

In 1998 Nick and Yolyn, established their own line of wines with the release of Goldschmidt Vineyards. Having produced so many world class wines from around the globe, they knew exactly which vineyard sites they would choose to make Goldschmidt wines.

GOLDCHMIDIT VINEYARDS

For the Goldschmidt Vineyard brand they have created two distinct Cabernet Sauvignons, one from Alexander Valley in Sonoma and the other from Oakville in Napa Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from two prestigious vineyards in Northern California, located on the northeastern slope in the Alexander Valley, and Game Ranch Vineyard, located on old river bottom on the eastern bench of the Silverado Trail. Both showcase the optimum silhouettes of Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and Napa Valley.

Under the Forefathers brand Nick and Yolyn produce a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, an Australian Shiraz, and a California Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines Nick and Yolyn Goldschmidt produce are all single vineyard, 100% varietal, handcrafted, small production artisan wines.

Joined periodically in the field by their five children, the Goldschmidt expertise is being passed down to the next generation, as evidenced in the wines released under the labels Chelsea Goldschmidt, Hilary Goldschmidt and Katherine Goldschmidt. The winery offices are located in Healdsburg, California.

March Winery Spotlight

Peterson Winery has been producing wine in Dry Creek Valley for 30 years and, like most wineries in the Valley, produces Zinfandel as well as other wines. Yet a closer look shows that is where the similarities end.

Owner Fred Peterson is an iconoclast with an old world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. The evolution of Peterson wines and winemaking accelerated when Fred’s son Jamie became assistant winemaker in the summer of 2002. In 2006, after moving from the tiny red barn on Lytton Springs to Timber Crest Farms, Jamie was given the overall responsibilities as winemaker.

PETERSON ROOTS

Fred came to Dry Creek Valley in 1983, working to find and develop world-class vineyard properties. It was an exciting time for Fred, being able to select ideal vineyard locations and then plant the appropriate grape variety and clone for each site. The vineyards Fred developed in Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County), including on Bradford Mountain, began producing amazing fruit. The next step was a natural one; Fred wanted to make wine from the fruits of his labor (sorry about the pun, it was too good to pass up).

In 1987, all the pieces fell into place for Fred, and he launched Peterson Winery. For nearly twenty years, the winery was located in an old, red barn tucked away in the vineyards off of Lytton Springs Road. It was beautiful place to make wine, but the antique structure began to show its age. In late 2005, Fred seized an opportunity to move into a newer facility on Dry Creek Road, at Timber Crest Farms. This new, more convenient location offers more offices and space, plus a room for visitors to taste the wines.

Over the years, Fred has befriended grape growers who share his goals and values; to grow grapes that reflect a sense of place. The Dry Creek Valley encompasses one of the greatest ranges of microclimates for such a small area in the world, making it possible to grow many grape varieties, with world-class quality. Peterson Winery now makes an average of 8000 cases annually, all in many small lots from the like-minded growers he now calls his friends.

Join us for a Winery Spotlight tasting event, featuring Elderton wines from Australia.

ELDERTON WINERY – BAROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA

The Barossa Valley is Australia’s most famous wine region. Comprising of the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, it is home to some of the oldest Shiraz vineyards in the world, acclaimed Rieslings and iconic wine brands.

Elderton is one of those Barossa Valley Wineries, whose philosophy has not changed significantly since its inception. Cameron & Allister strongly believe that great wine begins in the vineyard like all of the world’s great estates. From the high quality, low yielding fruit that is grown on the three vineyard sites, Elderton’s aim is to make balanced wines that will stand the test of time with the overall arching vision of excellence in mind.

ELDERTON WINERY

The overall vision of Elderton is excellence from distinguished vineyard sites. Today Elderton runs three vineyards that highlight the individual terriors of the region. Its original vineyard in Nuriootpa on the Barossa Valley floor that provides most of flagship wines; Greenock that is in the north western quadrant provides the power and has vines dating back to 1915 and finally its vineyard in Eden Valley ranges in Craneford that provides elegance. Today Elderton works with Barossa Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Carignan, Mouvedre, Riesling, Chardonnay and Semillon.

The winery features an actual cellar door and is a stunning 1918 homestead surrounded by iconic old vineyards. It offers a beautiful setting with incredible views to enjoy and learn about the region, the wines and its people. It has been awarded one of South Australia’s best cellar doors (SATC 2015 & 2016) because of its knowledgeable staff, multitude of private tasting rooms, barista tea & coffee, as well as gourmet platter food offerings.

A visit to the Tamber Bey Winery is like nothing else in Napa Valley. The winery is located at the Sundance Ranch in Calistoga, a world-class equestrian facility that is dedicated to training top performance horses. The tasting room is located in the original barn clubhouse designed by renowned Napa Valley architect Howard Backen. The 16-stall barn surrounds the courtyard, where guests can taste wine, mingle with the horses, and enjoy stunning views of Mount St. Helena and the Palisades.

Vintner Barry Waitte founded Tamber Bey Vineyards in 1999, when he purchased a 60-acre vineyard in the Yountville Appellation and an 11-acre property in the renowned Oakville Appellation. This marked his entry into the wine business as a grower. Waitte planted three acres of premium Cabernet Sauvignon on the Oakville property, and this vineyard came to be called the Oakville Estate Vineyard.

Waitte originally named the Yountville vineyard the Two Rivers Vineyard as a tribute to the “two personalities of the Napa River,” which borders the vineyard. The early vintages of Tamber Bey wine have this vineyard designation. Waitte later changed the name to the Deux Chevaux Vineyard to pay homage to Tamber Bey’s namesake, his first two Arabian horses, Tamborina and Bayamo. “Deux Chevaux” is French for “two horses.”

Today, Tamber Bey’s portfolio of wines are made by winemaker Frederic Delivert from Waitte’s estate-grown fruit and from grapes carefully sourced from select vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties. The wines are produced at the Sundance Ranch, a world-class equestrian facility in Calistoga that is home to the winery. Sundance Ranch is also home to the Waittes’ Arabian endurance race horses. These horses compete in races covering 50 to 100 miles, and are ridden by Waitte and his wife Jennifer, who is the trainer of these wonderful horses.

Join us for a Winery Spotlight tasting event featuring Round Pond Estate, from the Rutherford region of Napa Valley, California.

Round Pond, owned and operated today by the second generation of the MacDonnell family, is a 468 acre Rutherford farm and winery that specializes in the creation of pure, expressive wines, artisan foods and unforgettable experiences—all from the heart of Napa Valley. In addition to a state-of-the-art winemaking facility and 362 acres of Rutherford vineyards, the estate includes 5 acres of gardens, 12 acres of olive orchards, and one of only two olive mills in the region.

ROUND POND ESTATES

Brother-sister team Miles MacDonnell and Ryan MacDonnell serve as owners of Round Pond Estate—a winery, vineyard and olive mill located on Rutherford land their family has owned since 1983.

After years of providing grapes for some of the region’s finest wine producers, the MacDonnell family began making their own wine under the Round Pond label with the inaugural 2002 vintage. Miles and Ryan assumed control of the business in 2003, and today Round Pond Estate produces highly acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from the family’s 362 acre vineyard. They also craft specialty gourmet foods, including fine red wine vinegars, fruit syrups and olive oil.

“We are farmers first. We have been working this land for 30 years and originally began making our own wine in order to become better farmers,” Miles says. “We’ve always been passionate about winegrowing, and we wanted to understand fully the intimate connection between what happens in each vineyard micro-block and what happens in the cellar. After our first vintage, we became excited about the winemaking side of things and what we could accomplish with fruit from our family estate.”

OLIVE OILS & VINEGARS

In the 1980s, when the MacDonnell family began vacationing in Napa Valley, they would return home with a gallon container of fresh olive oil. They loved Napa’s farm-to-table way of life and enjoyed recreating it for friends and family. When the MacDonnells moved to Rutherford for good, they knew they wanted to make their own estate olive oil. With help from legendary Florentine mill master Marco Mugelli, they constructed a state-of-the art mill—only a stone’s throw from a grove of 100-year-old Mediterranean olive trees.

Today, for every bottle of Round Pond Olive Oils purchased, Round Pond donates a bottle to help fight hunger. They have partnered with Community Action Napa Valley (CANV), contributing to their food pantries and helping to provide over 400 nutritious hot meals daily.

In 2000, inspired by the bounty of their vineyards, Round Pond began crafting gourmet red wine vinegars using their our own estate-grown grapes. Crafted using the revered Orleans method, their vinegars continue the tradition of this time-honored technique, which originated almost two hundred years ago.

Making their farm-to-table philosophy a way of life, the MacDonnell family enjoys nothing more than sharing the bounty of their farm and vineyards with guests….and we hope you will too!

May Winery SpotlightOregon vs. France

Drouhin vs. Drouhin Tasting Event>> RSVP at your local WineStyles <<

Our WineStyles team had the privilege of touring and tasting at Domaine Drouhin, just outside of Portland Oregon. We hope you’ll enjoy this unique winery spotlight tasting, featuring Drouhin wines from Oregon and France…..and bring home a few extra bottles to continue enjoying at home, as we did 🙂

ABOUT MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN, FRANCE

For the last 130 years, Maison Joseph Drouhin has been in the hands of the Drouhin family. With close to 90 different appellations, Joseph Drouhin offers a fascinating array of Burgundy terroirs in all their authenticity and subtle variations.

With its 73 hectares (182.5 acres), the Joseph Drouhin Domaine is one of the largest estates in the region. It owns vineyards in all of Burgundy: Chablis (95 acres), Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, (80 acres), Côte Chalonnaise (7.5 acres). It is comprised of a majority of Premier and Grand Crus, planted with the two Burgundian grape varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The Domaine was put together through the years, thanks to judicious purchases and agreements between families. Some vineyards are among the most famous in Burgundy, such as Clos des Mouches, Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Corton-Charlemagne, etc. For some village or regional appellations, Joseph Drouhin complements its supplies by purchasing grapes from other vineyard owners who have been long time partners and share the same quest of excellence. Starting with the vintage 2008, the name “Vaudon” was associated with Joseph Drouhin for all its Chablis wines as a sign of the firm’s allegiance to this historical terroir.

A FAMILY HERITAGEToday, the House of Joseph Drouhin is run by Joseph’s four grand children, born between 1961 and 1968. They practically grew up in the vineyards and cellars. They acquired their knowledge from their father Robert Drouhin, while at their side. Each of the grandchild have a role to play within the business and each shares the same passion for vine and wine. From vintage to vintage, they perpetuate the tradition and do not shy away from innovation in their search for elegance and perfection, the hallmark of Maison Joseph Drouhin.

ABOUT DOMAINE DROUHIN, OREGON

The Drouhin Family’s winemaking roots run deep, having taken hold in Burgundy’s best vineyards more than a century ago. Through the years, there has been a very clear link, a continuum, that inhabits Maison Joseph Drouhin, and now Domaine Drouhin Oregon.

The estate winery in the Dundee Hills creates elegant, fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines forged from their family’s tradition of fine winemaking in France. For more than 25 years, the Drouhin Family has brought a wealth of hard-earned experience to their vineyards in the Willamette Valley, just southwest of Portland, Oregon.

The Drouhin Oregon estate was established in the late 1980s, but their winemaking roots were planted in Burgundy a century earlier, when Joseph Drouhin moved from Chablis to Beaune, and in 1880 founded Maison Joseph Drouhin. He was succeeded by his son, the brilliant Maurice Drouhin, who dedicated his life to making fine wine. In 1957, Robert Drouhin became the third generation to run the business. He first “discovered” Oregon on a 1961 visit, and then again during the 1979 and ’80 blind tastings in Paris and Burgundy (the latter of which Robert organized) that put Oregon wines on the world map. Robert recognized that it was Oregon, more so than California, whose soils and climate could unlock the complexities and potential of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the United States.

Drouhin Winery Spotlight Tasting*
Oregon vs. France

Vaudon Chablis

Pouilly Vinzelles

Chassagne Montrachet

DDO Arthur

Roserock Chardonnay

Meursault

Cote de Nuits Villages

Cote de Beaune

Chambolle Musigny

DDO PN

Roserock PN

Gevrey Chambertin

Limited Seating Available – Reserve your seat ASAP!

Contact your local WineStyles to RSVP!

*See your local store for the specific wines to be tasted, may vary by location or region.

ABOUT LEEUWIN ESTATE

Family owned, Leeuwin Estate, one of the five founding wineries of the now famous Margaret River district of Western Australia, is under the direction of two generations who work with a team of highly skilled winemakers to consistently produce wines ranking alongside the world’s finest. In 1972, legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Robert Mondavi, identified the future site of the Leeuwin vineyard as being ideal for the production of premium wine and provided early mentorship to Denis and Tricia Horgan in the transformation of their cattle farm into Leeuwin Estate.

Enjoying its first commercial vintage in 1979, Leeuwin was thrust into the international spotlight when Decanter Magazine gave its highest recommendation to the 1980 “Art Series” Chardonnay. The international accolades have continued and Leeuwin now exports to 30 markets. Celebrating the combination of fine wine, food, art and music, Leeuwin features an award-winning restaurant, Cellar Door and art gallery. The Estate is renowned for staging spectacular events and welcoming visitors from around the world.

Founded in 1861 by Charles Krug, it is the oldest winery in Napa Valley. In 1943, the winery was purchased by Cesare and Rosa Mondavi and ran by their sons Peter and Robert. Four generations later, the Mondavi family continues their legacy that started more than 70 years ago. Please join us as we Taste, Learn and Enjoy® these historic and delicious wines from Charles Krug winery.

ABOUT CHARLES KRUG WINERY and MONDAVI FAMILY

Charles Krug

The winery was founded in 1861 by a then 36-year-old Charles Krug. Just nine years after coming to America, he built what would become the cornerstone of Napa Valley. Charles Krug introduced the cider press for winemaking, the first of which is still on display at the winery. He carefully selected rootstocks, varietals, vine spacing and vineyard sites — a novel concept in late 19th century America.

In 1943, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased the Charles Krug Winery for their sons Peter and Robert to run. They undertook an extensive program to develop quality vineyards, enhance winemaking techniques and increase marketing efforts.

In 1963, Peter Mondavi, Sr. introduced French oak barrels to age wines, citing their superior quality to the American oak popular at that time. He also introduced the use of glass-lined tanks to gain more control over the winemaking process. The winery was among the first California producers to label wines by varietal. In February 2016, Peter Mondavi Sr. passed away at the age of 101. His sons Marc and Peter Jr. continue his legacy by leading the way at Charles Krug Winery.

Mondavi Family

Today, Charles Krug Winery is under the direction of brothers Marc and Peter Mondavi, Jr., who steward the family business passed to them by their father, legendary Napa Valley wine icon Peter Mondavi, Sr. The family is now proudly welcoming members of the fourth generation to the business, continuing a legacy started more than 70 years ago, and setting a foundation for generations to come.